Jacob weidemialor



J. WEIDENMANN.

Improvement in Burial Cases.

N0.123,599. Pa tented Feb.13,1872.

\ V! T N E 55 ES 5d,: M IINVENT'OR JACOB WEIDENMANN, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT iN BURlAL-CASES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,599, dated February 13, 1872.

SPECIFICATION.

I, J AGOB WErnnNnANN, of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Burial-Case, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a side elevation of the burialcase with the side of the exterior wooden box, which is next the observer, removed.

Fig. 2 is a similar end view. Fig. 3 is an exterior perspective view. Fig. at is a 'de tached enlarged view in section of the standards, which support the coffin from beneath. Fig. 5 is adetached enlarged view of the guides attached to the side of the interior of the covering-hox. Fig. 6 is a view, in section, of the part shown in Fig. 5, through the dotted line a: m. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the angle-irons attached to the insides of the exterior box to serve as markers.

To preserve the bodies of dead friends appears to be a cherished idea-at least, with Americans. To effect this, various costly expedients have been resorted to, such as buildin g brick-graves, covering coffins with a large body of cement, and the like. The present invention is an attempt to make a cheap, eifective, and durable, impermeable covering for cofiins and caskets.

The letter it indicates a common coffin, and I) is a common coffin-box, except that it has a lid with perforations, and has certain attachments shortly to be described. It is made somewhat larger than those heretofore used.

7 0n the bottom of the box are set standards,

made, preferably, of cast-iron, generally four in number, on which the coffin rests. These standards 0 are hollow, and have perforations c soas to permit the escape of air when the inclosing substance is put around the coffin. To the sides and ends of the interior of the box are attached guides d, preferably of cast iron, which prevent the coffin from touching the box on the sides and ends. The cofiin being thus set into the box the lid, having openings b, is fastened on, and cement, plaster of Paris, or other similar material made into a thin paste, is poured intothe openings in the lid till the box is full; and this substance,

when sethermetically, seals the coffin from air and water.

It may be desirable at some future time to open the coffin thus sealed up. To facilitate this, there are angle-irons e fastened at intervals along the sides and ends of the interior of the box, their horizontal parts on a level with and pointing str. ight toward the joining of the cofiin and its lid. The first step in opening the coffin after once scaled up in cement,

as described, would be to split away the ex terror box. These angle irons would come away with the sides and ends, and thus leave holes in the cement, marking the line where the cement must be split to come at the joining of the coftiu and its lid, for which reasons have called them markers. The holes left by the markers will serve as handy openings in which to insert wedges to split the cement.

If it is desired to use the cement very thin it will probably be advisable to put two or more downward-projecting spurs on the under side of the lid of the outer box, so as to hold the coffin down in place, as in a very thin paste it might be floated ed the standards under- 

